Karatina has launched new courses in the tea industry even as the country celebrates a century since tea was commercialised in Kenya.

The new courses, according to the university management, are aligned with the development of the tea industry in Kenya and the world.

Among the courses that will be offered include a Post-Graduate Diploma in Tea Science and Management, a Diploma In Tea Husbandry and Management, a Diploma In Tea Trade and Economics and a Diploma In Tea Processing and Quality Assurance.

The university will also offer certificate courses in Tea Economics and Trade, Tea Husbandry and Management, Tea Post-Harvest Handling and Quality Assurance and Tea Processing Operation and Engineering.

In the new curriculum for short courses, Karatina university will offer courses in Tea Production and Quality Assurance and Organic Tea Farming, Production and Certification.

The university will also offer an extension course in Tea Master Certification.

“The history of Karatina University (KarU) dates back to 1957 when the British Government established a Tea Farming Training Center, in Central Province, Kenya After Kenya’s independence, the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) established the facility with the hope of offering training in the field of tea. The current university started as a campus of Moi University on the KTDA facility in 2007. It was chartered as a fully-fledged university in 2013,” the management stated.

“The University is strategically placed to conduct training in the tea sector. The university has a team of interdisciplinary academic and non-academic staff with knowledge and skills on tea along the entire value chain, Further, we have well-equipped tea processing facilities, and laboratories and own a tea farm.”

Job opportunities in tea sector

This comes moments after Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) chief executive officer (CEO) Willy Mutai assured the youth that the sector has massive job opportunities for them.

Speaking at Karatina University on Friday, November 8, 2024, during TBK‘s centenary celebrations, Mutai assured the youth that the tea industry is expanding rapidly, creating more job opportunities for the youth.

“There are so many jobs in the tea industry. This is an economy of Ksh200 billion and our president has given us money. There is a new project coming up called common-user facility which is meant for you. There are also so many tea companies coming up, so prepare for the jobs,” Mutai told students of Karatina University.

Premium tea for Kenyans

Mutai also refuted claims that Kenya exports its best tea, selling leftovers to Kenyans. Instead, Mutai said that Kenyans have access to premium tea even before it is exported.

“The tea we are taking was initially meant for the white settlers. Up to date people still assume that we export premium tea then we remain with the leftovers but we allow access to premium tea locally and then export the excess.

Currently, the local tea consumption is at Ksh16 billion with TBK targeting Ksh40 billion by the end of the current financial year.